In the Aftermath of Serious Earthquake, Bay Area Neighbors Turn to Nextdoor

When the largest earthquake since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake hit Napa and the greater San Francisco Bay Area early Sunday morning, neighbors were quick to turn to Nextdoor.

A recent study shows that the most connected communities are the most resilient during natural disasters, and this was certainly true of neighborhoods in the Napa area. Within minutes of the earthquake, residents sent urgent alerts out to their communities, warning their neighbors to take cover in doorways, watch out for crumbling chimneys, and to keep an eye out for scared and flighty pets. In the aftermath of the quake, neighbors took to Nextdoor to share tips on clean-up, offered shelter to neighbors in need, and reported sightings of lost pets who had escaped from their home during the quake.

Several of our city partners, including both the City of Napa and the City of American Canyon, took to Nextdoor to inform residents of damages, advice for contacting emergency personnel, school closures, and more. In many areas, the departments also used Nextdoor to advise residents to keep an eye out for the sound or smell of leaking gas lines and provided road closure updates.

An incredible 40% of the total content on Nextdoor in the greater San Francisco Bay Area on Sunday was related to the earthquake, showing that Nextdoor has quickly become a tool for neighbors to use to connect and communicate during natural disasters – proving that a connected community is indeed a stronger community.